The 32-year-old Indian oiler from Mumbai died after a 1 March engine-room explosion on the Marshall Islands-flagged tanker in the Gulf of Oman, as its 21 crew fought fire for four hours.
A surviving seafarer said the blast destroyed the engine room, forced the vessel's abandonment with 60,000 tonnes of petrol aboard, and left rescued crew receiving treatment and counselling in Oman.
Since 1 March, 10 seafarers have been killed in 32 regional ship attacks, while about 20,000 mariners on 800 vessels remain stranded around Hormuz and aid requests have surged.
With 20,000 seafarers trapped in a conflict zone, what is the international community's concrete plan for their immediate evacuation?
As Iran establishes a new authority over a vital global waterway, can US military intervention prevent an economic catastrophe?
Drone Attack on MT MKD Vyom Kills Indian Seafarer; Family Faces 35-Day Delay in Repatriation Amid Institutional Failures
Overview
On March 1, 2026, the Indian seafarer Dixit Amritlal Solanki was killed when a missile-armed drone attacked the MT MKD Vyom in the Strait of Hormuz, amid escalating conflict involving Iran and its adversaries. The attack was part of a series of strikes disrupting vital shipping routes, causing global trade and energy market instability. Despite the confirmed death, Solanki's family faced a 35-day delay in repatriating his remains due to institutional failures and poor communication from authorities and the shipping company. Only after a legal petition did the Bombay High Court intervene, ordering DNA testing and coordinated repatriation. This tragedy exposed critical gaps in seafarer safety, crisis response, and government accountability in high-risk maritime zones.